Arri Alexa and Rosco LitePads Come Through for OnLive’s First National Spot

The project started out as a web-only teaser. When the client saw it they added another shoot day and turned it into a national spot. Here's why, and how.

Originally slated to be a web-only spot, the first shoot day went so well that when the client saw the results they ordered a second shoot day, added an actor and made a $1m+ national ad buy.

I've been holding off writing this article as I'd hoped to see a :60 version of the spot that contained all of the really cool shots that we created over those two days (or nights, as they were night shoots), but the client was thrilled with the :30 and the :15 versions so the :60 was never commissioned.

As of November, 2010--when this spot was produced--this was my second shoot with Arri's Alexa, and the first time I'd used it in Rec 709, or WYSIWYG, mode. Due to the short turnaround time and the visual effects components we opted to craft the image in camera, rather than shoot in LogC and grade the footage later, in order to get the footage into post as quickly as possible.

Before I launch into an explanation of the tools and tricks used in crafting this spot I should probably show it to you. Here it is:

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